Flying Bike: Duratec Bicycles Unveils The Future Of Commuting?

No matter how many blue cycle lanes you paint on the road, cycling in cities is always going to have a certain amount of risk attached.

So why not fly above it?

A prototype 'flying bike' has been demonstrated successfully taking off for the first time, and given a few more years might just represent a new frontier in commuting.

The flying bike uses six giant rotating fans to provide lift and balance, powered by batteries.

Duratec Bicycles unveiled the machine in the Czech Republic, albeit only with a dummy pilot.

They hope to improve the prototype and make it safe enough for human pilots - depending on battery tech matching their ambitions. Unfortunately weight restrictions mean the machine only has a five minute capacity, currently.

"Because the capacity of batteries doubles about every 10 years, we can expect that in the future the capacity would be enough for the bike to used for sports, tourism or similar things," said Milan Duchek, who is technical director of Duratec Bicycles.

In Pictures: Flying Bike

In Pictures: Flying Bike

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Two men watch the remote-controlled Flying Bike with a test dummy during its presentation in Prague on Wednesday, June 12, 2013. Three Czech companies have teamed up to make a prototype of an electric bicycle that can fly. Controlled remotely, the bike carrying a figurine successfully took off Wednesday inside a large exhibition hall in Prague and landed safely after a five-minute flight. (AP Photo/CTK, Stanislav Zbynek) SLOVAKIA OUT